Machine for impregnating material with liquids



June 28, 1949. A F 2,474,254

I MACHINE FOR IMPREGNATING MATERIAL WITH LIQUIDS Filed Nov. 18, 1946 I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwucmto p LEP EH A.] auffma11 June 28, 1949. A AN 2,474,254

MACHINE FOR IMPREGNATI NG MATERIAL WITH LIQUIDS Filed Nov. 18, 1946 I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q We *"H IIIIIIW" h A l T. 7

Patented June 28, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR IMPREGNATING MATERIAL WITH LIQUIDS (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described in the following specification and claims may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the'pay-ment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to machines for impregnating material with a liquid and more particularly to machines for force feeding one or more liquid compounds into materials such as fabrics, paper, leather and the like.

As an example of one application of the invention, the machine can be employed for feeding waterproofing compounds such as liquid latex under pressure across the entire width of a progressively fed sheet of material such as cotton duck whereby the material becomes permeated with the latex for increasing its strength while making it water and mildew proof. Treated fabrics of this type are particularly useful for producing all types of tarpaulins, gun covers, vehicle covers, tents and as a general substitute for waterproof duck as formerly produced, canvas or imitation leather. By using a colored liquid or liquids the material may be colored by the impregnation as well as striped, if desired.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a machine for force feeding liquid or liquids across the entire width of a sheet of material positioned contiguous thereto.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine for controlling the delivery under pressure of one or more colored liquid compounds over an entire face of a progressively fed sheet material in such manner as to produce a solid color or longitudinally striped effect in various colors on the material as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for feeding liquid compounds under pressure to a material which machine is of a simple construction and operation, has a minimum number of working parts, can be readily and easily cleansed, and is economical to produce.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the following detailed description thereof based on the accompanying drawing in which;

Figure l is a side sectional elevation of a machine according to the present invention taken on line |l of Figure 3,

Figure 2 is a partial side sectional elevation taken on line 2-2 of Figure 3,

Figure 3 is a top sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of the machine as taken on line 44 of Figure l, and,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a two piece bearing and separator block forming a part of the invention.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanyiny drawings wherein similar members are designated by like reference numerals, I indicates a liquid compound supply head consisting of an open end reservoir 2 connected by an enlongated opening 3 formed in its base, to a pair of diametrically opposed semi-circular and longitudinally extended recesses 4 and a flat base 5 extending at right angles from said reservoir 2. A slit t is formed through said base 5 along the bottom of said recesses 4 and is positioned in line with said opening 3 of said reservoir 2.

Positioned longitudinally of each of said recesses 4 is one of a pair of shafts 'l which are suitably journaled in the detachable end walls 8 of said head I. Each of said walls 8 being retained against said head I by a pair of bolts I2 passing through openings in said walls and screwed into threaded recesses in said head 1. One end 9 of one of said shafts 7 extends through its corresponding side wall 8 and is surrounded at that point with a packing ID to prevent leakage of fluid from within said head I. Said end 9 has a multi-speed pulley ll connected thereto for receiving an endless belt connected to any suitable power means (not shown) whereby said shaft can be rotated at various speeds as desired.

Positioned across said opposing recesses 4 are a plurality of spaced separator bearing blocks l5 each consisting of an upper half-section I5 and lower half-section ll normally retained together by a plurality of pins l8 positioned in openings l9 formed in the end portion of said sections it and IT.

The exterior face 20 of each end portion of said blocks I5 is formed and sized to exactly fit into and completely extend laterally across its corresponding recess 4 forming a partition therein. Further, the opposing faces of the sections it and I? of each block 15 have semi-circular recesses 2| and 22 formed therein with the mating recesses each forming a bearing for its respective shaft 1 rotatably mounted therethrough.

Between each pair of said blocks l5 there is fixedly mounted on each shaft 1 a roller gear 25 with the opposing gears 25 of both shafts 'l intermeshing as indicated in Figure 1. Each of said gears 25 is sized so that its addendum circle is very close to the wall of its respective recess 4.

Said reservoir 2 and openings 3 have parti- 3 tions 30 mounted therein over each of said blocks I dividing said head I into a plurality of reservoirs. Similarly a partition 31 is mounted in slit 6 beneath each of said blocks l5 defining a series of outlets for fluid from said reservoirs. As best noted in Figure 4, each partition 3| has a triangular cross-sectional configuration with its apex 32 positioned for bearing against the material 35 being treated.

Positioned beneath said base 5 is a platen 40 shown as a flat member, but which can equally as well be of the round rotatable type, if desired. Said head I is adjustably mounted by any suitable structure (not shown) on or above this platen 40.

In the operation of the present machi'ne'the fluid to be employed is placed in saidreservoir 2 and the material 35 to be treated is progressively moved either by hand or suitable mechanism, past'slit 6 over platen 40. Said head i and platen 48 are adjusted relative to-one another to just permit the movement of said material -35 therebetween. As an example of one way of accomplishing the adjustment, bolts 4! mounted with each bolt extending through an opening formed in each corner of said base 5 and screwed into threaded recesses formed in platen 45, can be tightened or loosened as desired to determine the space for material 35 between said base 5 and said platen 40. At the same time pulley H is rotated causing shaft 1 and gears 25 to be rotated. The intermeshing gears 25 will draw the fluid compound from said reservoir 2 through opening 3 and force the same through slit 6 into the material 35 as it passes therebeneath. The speed of rotation of said gears 25 which depends on which part of pulley I I is used, determines the amount and force of the fluid employed and can be adjusted by changing the position of the belt on said-pulley II.

It is contemplated that the width of the head -I will extend completely across the width of the material being impregnated. As best shown in Figure 3 the end blocks 15 are positioned relatively close to the end walls 8 and the gears 25 positioned therebetween are shorter than the other gears employed. In this manner the escape offluid around the end of the gears is minimized preventing a loss of pressure in the rest of said head I.

To obtain a striped efiect on the material being'treated it is only necessary to put color impregnating liquids in the reservoir 2 with a liquid of a different color in between each pair of said partitions 30. The various colored liquids will then be fed between the corresponding blocks 15 and partitions 3| directly to the material thereunder.

After use of the machine, it can-be cleansed very readily by unscrewing bolts l2 of one side and withdrawing the corresponding wall 8 and the accompanying shafts 1, blocks l5 and gears 4 25. These members are thereby made available for cleaning. The interior of the head can then be readily cleansed through the open end of said reservoir 2.

It is readily understood that the machine is capable of considerable modification and any changes thereto that come within the scope of the appended claims are deemed to be part of the invention.

What is claimed as new is given in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for impregnating material with liquids, comprising, a head having an elongated gear pump cavity in its lower portion, a flat base, there being a slot in the bottom of said cavity, opening through-said base, a pair of spaced parallel shafts journaled in said cavity, a first set of axially spaced gears fixed on one said shaft, a second set of axially spaced gears fixed on the other said shaft, each gear of one set meshing with a corresponding gear of the other set, a pair of complementaryzbearing sections fitting in the space between each pair of intermeshing gears and the next axially spaced pair, said sections being shaped to iClOSBlY fit the cross sectional area of said cavity, and means forming a liquid reservoir above said cavity,-there being a passageway irom the bottom of said reservoir to the top of said cavity.

2. A machineas recited-in claim 1, said cavity being closed at its ends by plates each having bearing apertures for the adjacent ends of said shafts, andmean's removably securing said plates to said head, whereby on removal of one plate, 'the entire-assembly of shafts, gears and bearing sections may bewithdrawn as a unit in a direction aXially'of said shafts.

'3. A machineasrecited in claim 1, a plurality of' partitionsin said reservoir, each partitioncooperating with a respective pair of bearing sections to divide said icavity and reservoir into liquid-tight compartments, spaced axially along said shafts.

4. A machine as recited-in claim 1, and a block snugly fitting said slot beneath the lower one of each saidpair of bearing sections, said block having its upper face abutting said lower section and its lower face flush withthe fiat base of said head.

LEROY A. KAUFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referemces are or record in the file of this-patent:

UNITED STATES PATENIS Number Name Date 1,746,396 Mothersall Feb. 11, 1930 1,771,388 Nash July 22, 1930 1,916,096 Cumfer June 27, 1933 

